On the threshold of summer - where and what repairs are being carried out and does the “Road Infrastructure“ Agency have a strategy for dealing with the war on the roads?
The answers to these questions in the studio of “This Saturday and Sunday“ are given by the chairman of the Management Board of the RIA Eng. Yordan Valchev.
The “Trakia“ Highway
“The repairs will be completed at the end of June. We had a meeting with the tour operators, who asked us to avoid overloading the trip to the sea. The asphalting of the "Trakia" highway near Plovdiv has been completed. Marking is about to be installed, explained the head of the RIA.
“Every year, repairs begin after the Easter holidays. They usually last about two months. The other option is autumn. We try not to do major repairs before the months with heavy traffic. The repairs of the sections in Sofia and Plovdiv will be completed next week. In Sliven, it will be completed by June 30,“, he added.
AM "Maritsa"
“The Kresna bypass has been designed for the "Maritsa" highway. There are already expropriations. Construction is expected to begin in September. When the Kresna bypass is completed, there will be no traffic jams. We hope that the section through the mountain will be ready in 2030. We are in constant dialogue with the local population, with environmentalists. They withdrew their complaint. We have the green light. There are no more traffic jams in the Simitli area. There are three lanes and reverse traffic, but the highway needs to be completed there to connect with Kresna“.
“Hemus Highway“
“In 2030, all sections of the “Hemus“ highway from Sofia to Varna will be ready. The highways are not in the best condition and there will be constant repairs. In these notorious tunnels, there is no way to avoid traffic jams and we have made the best organization with the law enforcement agencies to reduce traffic jams. The tunnels are being repaired. “Praveshki Hanove“ will be ready by the end of July. The viaducts are being repaired. “Topli Dol“ is a more complex tunnel. The citizens of Dermantsi asked that traffic from section one of “Hemus“ not pass through the settlement, but take a bypass. We are now designing one“, he said.
Problem sections and measures against accidents
“Many of the roads are planned for repair, but from the idea to construction it may take 5-6 years. Pleven – Lukovit is yet to be finally approved. It cannot be built without an approved project. This is the only bypass from Southern to Northern Bulgaria in the direction of Vidin. Mezdra – Botevgrad, until it is completed, construction cannot begin (on Pleven – Lukovit – ed. note)“, added Yordan Valchev.
“Institutions must work together. If you drive 12 kilometers over the speed limit, they can't fine you at the moment because the law doesn't allow it. You have a 9 kilometer tolerance, as well as three kilometers of speeding. We are organizing a campaign and our toll scales will be able to measure overloads and issue fines with the legal changes“.
“My resignation is the easiest thing. In order to get the job done, there must be perseverance. I didn't resign after the Siyana accident because for me it's more important to have perseverance and work. Resignations are very easy to submit, and then there is no responsibility and no work done“, the head of the RIA also pointed out.